Reading and Culinary Experience Bring Cultures Together in Kufstein

As part of a practical project, six female students from the bachelor’s degree program in Sports, Culture & Event Management invited guests to an interactive evening centered on migration, identity, and living together. In cooperation with the association Zeitfrei and the City of Kufstein, a special event format was created at the university campus. The Syrian-Austrian author, speaker, and trainer Omar Khir Alanam became widely known through his books about his refugee story and the cultural differences between Austria and his Syrian homeland. Through selected readings, he offered very personal insights into his experiences of fleeing, arriving, and finding a sense of home. Even during the first half of the program, a direct and emotional connection with the audience emerged, opening up new perspectives.

Culinary Bridges and Traditional Syrian Cuisine

A central part of the program was the Kitchen Stories segment that followed, which focused on culinary exchange. The oriental catering was provided by Ammar Ali, originally from Hacemater in northern Syria. As a former head chef at renowned restaurants in Damascus, he knows how to cook beyond the plate. At the shared table, he served traditional dishes such as hummus, mhammara, mfarakeh, motabel, stuffed grape leaves, Arabic flatbread, and baklava.

The personal stories shared by the participants perfectly complemented the culinary experience. In the conversation between Omar and Ammar, it became clear that both share a passion for cooking with their families. They illustrated just how diverse Middle Eastern cuisine is, even when identical dishes may have different names or be seasoned differently from one country to another. Sharing a meal at one table created a relaxed atmosphere. Guests experienced cultural differences not as something divisive, but as an enrichment and an opportunity to get to know one another.

Building Bridges Through Listening and Shared Experience

“By listening, sharing, and experiencing things together, we can overcome prejudice and create genuine closeness,” Omar Khir Alanam emphasized during the event. The evening was hosted by student Laura Serra, who was also part of the organizing team. The student project team looks back proudly on the successful event: “For us, it was incredibly rewarding to see strangers come together at one table through food and stories, and to watch prejudices simply fade away,” the organizing team explained.

The practical project was organized and carried out by students Sophia Bauer, Sarah Gross, Miriam Franke, Karin Pontasch, Anna Sadlstadter, and Laura Serra as part of the degree program in Sports, Culture, and Event Management.

Links:

• Cultural Experience Kufstein | Instagram
• Sports, Culture & Event Management | ft

This article was written by students in the full-time bachelor’s degree program in Sports, Culture & Event Management as part of their practical project.